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MG MGA - Disc brake conversion

I am planning to convert my 1600 from fitted front drum brakes to disk brakes.
I am using currently the 1600 brake line flex hoses with a banjo bolt connection to the drum brake cylinder assemblies(this is a stretch at full wheel lock).
The termination bracket on the chassis, from solid to flex lines, is in the correct location for the 1600 towards the center of the car.
I have collected all the parts but will be using MGB callipers.
My question is what type of flex line do I use for this type of conversion.
Any input and/or a picture would be appreciated.
E-mail: Henrivg@wi.rr.com

Thanks, Henri
Henri Van Groningen

Henri,
I changed the shocks,kingpins,and calipers to MGB parts
and had to slightly reposition the flex line brackets to use standard MGB flex lines. It works fine.
Jim
James Wiebe

Henri,
I will try to help, but I'm a bit confused by your post. Normally, a 1600 would have disc brakes, not drum brakes. Its not unusual for a 1500 to be converted to disc brakes, but you don't normally find a 1600 converted to drum brakes.
The front brake lines for a 1500 and 1600 are different. (Of couse, because of change over time frames, there may be "odd" versions). This includes both the hard lines and the flex lines. If you truly have a (normal) 1600, the connection on your hard line should be female and there should be a banjo on your flex line that will properly mate with disc brake calipers.
The flex line on a 1500 has a female fitting on the hard line end and a male fitting on the wheel cylinder end. People who convert 1500's to disc brakes sometimes will screw the male fitting directly into the caliper, eliminating the need for the banjo. (Yes, I have done this)
The hard line termination bracket on the chassis is the same for both.
Your first step is to determine which configuration, 1500 or 1600, you have. Then you should be able to decide if you have the right flex lines or not. In any event, the correct flex line for a disc brake caliper should have a banjo fitting on the end that connects to the caliper.
Regards,
GTF
G T Foster

Thanks GT,
I have an original 1600 body and chassis with matching numbers on both chassis and body (VIN plate). For some unknown reason this car when found was fitted with front drum brakes. Currently I am using 1600 flex lines and the transition mounting from hard to flex lines is as per 1600 setup with a banjo bolt to the brake cylinder.
It would appear that the MGB flex line uses the same hard to flex line connection as the 1600 but it appears that these terminate directly into the MGB brake caliper without a banjo bolt.
My question is although the MGB flex line appears to be longer is this the correct way to go?
The car is currently in winter storage and I am collecting all the parts for spring installation.
Henri
Henri Van Groningen

Henri,
According to Clausager, 1600s were manufactured in May 59 with drum brakes, chassis number 68851 to June, chassis number 69505, after which they received disc brakes. It looks as if you have a transition car.
mike parker

Henri,
My thoughts are, as long as the fittings are correct, you should be able to use either the 1600 flex lines or the B flex lines lines, which ever you have available. I can only guess why the B line are longer but a little extra length shouldn't hurt.
Just my opinion.
GTF
G T Foster

G,day from Australia,
I would like some help to convert my 1957 roadster to disc brakes. Could someone please advise me, of where I can source the parts required, and what parts can I use from other BMC cars etc, (ie) MG, Morris, Austin,Triumph, Jaguar, Austin Healy, Rover. All input received, no matter how trivial, will be appreciated. I am also after a decent steering wheel including the centre boss.
Maurie Prior
maurie prior

G'day Maurie,

Maybe able to help you out. Drop me an email if interested.

Cheers

Tony Todd
Tony Todd

Henri,

I have recently completed the conversion from drum to disc brakes using MGB calipers.

I used the info on the MGA register website provided by Steve Gyles
www.mgcars.org.uk/mgccmga/index1.htm

I tried all of the brake hoses (1500, 1600 and MGB) and found the MGA 1500 type provided the best solution They screw straight into the caliper, and as they don't have a banjo connection there is no need for the flexible pipe bracket (the one that attaches to the caliper bracket)which the 1600 uses to support the banjo

Regards..John Bray
J Bray

Mike- Not that this matters to Henri, but my 1600 69034 built on 6-1&2 of 1959 has disc brakes, I thought all 1600s had discs. How could they advertise in the 1600 brochures disc brakes if some had them and some did not? How could you have two on a showroom floor, one with drum, the other with disc and use the slogan " Safty Fast"? Just think of the service problems at the dealer level, customer comes in for a brake job,gets a quote, then wants to know why actual price is so far off quote, so you tell him he has drum brakes instead,then he shows you the owners manual that says his 1600 has disc brakes.He then gets mad wants to know what else is wrong on his car like maybe his 1600 really has a 1500 in it. So he then goes and trades his MG for a Triumph and then his troubles really begin! Just kidding but something to think about. Gary
gary starr

Gary,
I don't know, I just pulled the info from Original MGA, production changes. Under the heading MGA 1600, on page 87, it shows clearly:
68851(May 1959) First MGA 1600
69505(June 1959) Front Disc Brakes.
Since there were so many being made in that period, chances are that yours was made early, held at the factory for whatever, given a number and sent on its way with drums. It sounds as if it were only a matter of days or weeks, anyways.
As far as service problems, who would do anything like that. I have never gone to the dealer for a part and been asked, what date was your car produced? What is the VIN? OK, maybe on almost every car that I owned, but those were American cars, not British. Surely they wouldn't do such a thing,eh? :
mike parker

Mike- What I mean was that even in the 50's you could get in trouble with false advertising, and the fact that in this time period John Thornley and Sydney Enever who were in charge at MG, were also enthusiasts.When they went with the 1600, the discs were part of the Safty Fast motto. I'd be very surprised if any 1600 left the factory with drum brakes. As to Clausagers info I think it's just an editing problem, it should read, on cars with disc wheels starting with chassis # 69505 the front brake discs changed from mountng to the hub with studs to mounting to the hub with bolts,which is even confirmed in the service parts book. Gary
gary starr

This thread was discussed between 08/12/2004 and 15/12/2004

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